The Philadelphia 76ers will reportedly be without rookie Nerlens Noel for the entire season as he continues to recover from knee surgery. Allen Iverson, meanwhile, is expected to officially announce his retirement at the Sixers' home opener against the Miami Heat.
Noel, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2013 NBA draft, isn't expected to play this season.
"I doubt, everybody doubts that he's going to play this year," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters on Monday, via ESPN. "We don't want to waste this year. I think from a skill perspective, it's an opportunity for us to break down his shot, really work on his free throws and start a little bit from ground zero."
Concerns about his knee may have caused him to drop from the No. 1 spot, where he was projected to be picked. Noel underwent ACL surgery on his left knee in March while playing at Kentucky.
News that Noel will miss the season is surprising; the 6-foot-11 center was expected to return sometime in the middle of the season, according to ESPN. Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon who operated on Noel, said in June that Noel was ahead of schedule in his recovery, which was expected to be six to eight months.
"We're really happy with his progress," Andrews told ESPN. "He's several weeks ahead of schedule on his rehab. He's improving on a weekly basis. He has a completely stable knee."
Iverson, meanwhile, appears ready to officially conclude his NBA career. The 38-year-old will announce his retirement on Oct. 30 at the Sixers' home opener, sources told ESPN's Chris Broussard.
The 11-time NBA All-Star finishes his career as the league's sixth-best scorer with 26.7 points per game. Heat star LeBron James recently praised Iverson as his second-favorite player.
"He played like a 6-8 2-guard," James said, via ESPN. "He was one of the greatest finishers we've ever seen. You could never question his heart. Ever."
